Two appointments made to Dairy Women’s Network Board

The Dairy Women’s Network
has welcomed two new trustees to its Board, Maree
Crowley-Hughes from Thornbury and Robyn Judd from Oamaru.

A hands-on farmer and experienced business woman, Maree
and husband Peter Hughes own seven farms in Southland and
Otago, which collectively milk 5000 cows producing more than
two million kilograms of milk solids per year.

Maree
is mum to five daughters, and has a grandson with her second
grandchild due in February. She is a director of five
businesses, and over the years has been heavily involved in
the local community. A member of the Dairy Women’s Network
since 1998, she says she is a passionate dairy farmer who is
very ‘hands-on’ at home and on the farm.

In 2011
Maree won the Dairy Women’s Network Celebrate You award.
The award is presented to women active within the Network
who demonstrate leadership, overcome challenges and take up
training and other opportunities to help them climb their
own ladder of success.

Maree relishes a challenge and
said the trustee role was the beginning of her own
leadership journey into governance. She said she is looking
forward to helping the Network continue the healthy growth
it has experienced year on year.

“I’m privileged
to be involved in creating opportunities for dairying women
to develop their business and leadership skills - it’s
something that I understand from first-hand experience. I
also get to work alongside some pretty inspiring people, who
I can continue to learn from.”

Originally from the
Waikato, Oamaru farmer Robyn Judd moved south with her
husband Ian and three children in 2001 – number four
arrived a year later. Robyn and Ian live on their 145
hectare runoff in the Waitaki Valley in North Otago. They
50/50 sharemilk 700 cows for Meridian Energy.

Robyn
has been a member of the Dairy Women’s Network since its
inception, and says she was hooked from day one. In 2005 she
was instrumental in establishing the North Otago/South
Canterbury regional group. Today, she is still the regional
convenor for the area, although she says she is looking for
someone to take over the role.

Amongst other things,
Robyn oversees their farming operations in human resources,
bookwork and finances, animal health records and calf
rearing. In the community she has been involved in
committees at all levels in playcentre, schools and sports
teams.

Robyn says she is truly grassroots, with a
strong belief in the core values of the Dairy Women’s
Network and its work.

“When you’re a dairy family
moving into a new area leaving your extended family behind,
the Network is invaluable because the women you meet know
exactly what you’re going through. It’s about the
people, getting local advice and sharing knowledge.

“It’s that moment when you’re in the shed in the
early hours of the morning, and you see a light on across
the valley – you know you’re not alone and there’s
someone out there going through the same thing as you.”

Robyn said everyone’s leadership pathway is different,
and she is honoured to have a voice on the Network’s Board
“for people like me.”

“I’m an everybody – a
mother, a volunteer and a dairy farmer who is absolutely
passionate about this industry. I’m on the Board to
encourage women like myself in their leadership journeys -
to help them aim for things like the dairy woman of the year
award, to challenge themselves and to be inspired.”

Dairy Women’s Network chair Michelle Wilson said the
Board was thrilled to have Maree and Robyn as trustees.

“The Board is focussed on the sustainability of the
Network, and succession planning is very important. As
farmers and trustees Maree and Robyn bring grassroots
knowledge, an empathy for dairying women, and strong
business and governance skills.”

She added that part
of the Network’s succession planning was the process of
bringing new trustees onto the Board alongside experienced
trustees.

“By having a Board of with many levels of
experience, the Network benefits from having fresh
perspectives alongside steady hands. We like to give new
trustees time to get up to speed and understand the business
alongside their more experienced colleagues, who provide
inspiration, knowledge and valuable industry
connections.”

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